International Review of Educational Cinematography (Jan-Dec 1931)

— 178 — STABILISING THE SOUND-FILM IN GERMANY Kinematograph (Verlag Scherl, Berlin), the oldest trade journal in Germany and about to celebrate its twenty-fifth birthday, deals in its December leaders almost exclusively with the equipment of German cinemas with sound-film installation. It appears from a complete list of all official German sound-film cinemas, that there are already over 2000. Other articles, however, explain that there are about 1000 more theatres which cannot be put on the official list because they have what are known as " Schwarzapparaturen " (independent installations), that is to say, privately installed apparatus in some cases fitted up in violation of existing patent law. It appears that these outlaws are to be granted a general amnesty: that, at any rate, is the implication of the apparently very well-informed articles in Kinematograph. The columns of its supplement, Deutsche Filmwirtschaft, devote much space to statistical data concerning sound-films in Europe and our readers will be interested to learn that educational films come in for a large share of attention. Its leaders criticise (with illustrations) the more important of recent German products. Kinematograph is regularly accompanied by Kinotechnik, which treats of current questions in just the same way as the supplement Deutsches Filmrecht. In the latter Dr. Franke, one of the most eminent German lawyers, interprets important decisions in connection with the law governing workmen and employees. LANTERN-SLIDE AND FILM SECTION OF THE ASSOCIATION OF GERMAN CULTURE, PRAGUE The lantern-slide section of the Association of German Culture at Prague was founded in 1924 and at first concerned itself only with the loan of lantern-slides for purposes of general culture. It was not long, however, before the need of such material made itself felt in schools and a few hundred slide-series and a large number of single slides were collected on every imaginable subject. These are loaned regularly to 286 schools and are supplemented by abundant reproductions for epidiascopic use. The rapid technical perfection of lantern slides copied on film prompted the idea of a loan service for these — an especial boon to culture-workers in country parts and to members of the Association on lecture tours. As time went on, heed had obviously to be given to the development of cinematography, but for a long time funds were wanting to establish a film-lending service and at first the necessary copies could only be obtained through the kind services of a number of firms who showed a lively sympathy for this branch of work. It was very apparent that the loans of the Kulturverband supplied a real want, for in the first three months 62 film shows were organised in schools and 104 " cultural evenings " were held. To-day the Association's Film Section possesses more than 33 films of a total length of 24.000 metres. These are all educational films and deal mainly with agriculture, folk-lore, natural science and technics. In the making of big multiple-reel films, care was taken that single reels could be used for individual purposes without spoiling the whole film. As things are at present, films can unfortunately only very seldom be shown in the schools themselves or be systematically incorporated within the curriculum . Educational film work is therefore essentially dependent upon the cinemas, many of which give regular performances for schools, the children preparing the subject beforehand and the films being commented by a teacher. Educational cinematography is looking